Home Security
by Blade of Justice
Summary: Ever wonder why Knuckles stopped being so concerned about the Master Emerald's safety? Sonic and Tails sure have.


It had been bugging him for a while now.

At first, Sonic hadn't said anything.

At first, Sonic hadn't even noticed anything out of the ordinary.

It had to just be a coincidence or something.

Maybe his priorities were just lining up with common sense for once.

Sonic was willing to give it the benefit of the doubt the first time.

The second time, he didn't pay it any mind either. He'd been too busy running around the world doing the whole "beating up Eggman's robots" thing.

Then that nonsense with the Babylon Rogues happened. Still nothing. That had been the point where Sonic started wondering what the heck was up with things.

Then it happened _again_. And a third time! Three times, three separate events involving crazy flying jet boards, and _nothing_.

It was getting ridiculous. No, it _was_ ridiculous.

How long had it been since he'd heard the words "Master Emerald" leave Knuckles' mouth?

Sonic knew Tails was wondering too. Heck, Tails was smart, he'd probably realized it right away.

Watching Knuckles punch the robotic lights out of one of Eggman's goons for the hundredth time in one day, seemingly without a care in a world, the blue blur knew he couldn't hold it in any longer.

To the surprise of both Sonic and Tails, after Sonic finally popped the question, Knuckles stared at the two of them like they'd grown second heads to match the fox's tails.

"Huh? Didn't I tell you guys?" The red echidna crossed his arms. "I got a security system installed all over the island. Now I don't have to worry about leaving the Master Emerald behind anymore."

Such an answer was... surprisingly logical for their friend.

_Too_ logical.

"You didn't get it from Eggman, did you?" Sonic knew Tails was thinking it too, but he had the tact — or lack thereof — to actually voice the question. "'Cause ya know, if you did, it's _prooooobably_ not there anymore."

Tails shot a half-hearted glare at his best friend for asking, to which Sonic simply offered a shrug in response, as if saying "hey, _somebody_ had to."

Surprisingly enough, to the shock of the two friends (not that Tails would admit it), Knuckles had a response ready and waiting for this question.

"Of course not! What kind of gullible fool do you take me for?!"

With a reaction like that, he definitely wasn't playing around. The Master Emerald was safe.

"You two really don't give me enough credit sometimes."

Two sighs of relief...

"I got it from G.U.N."

... cut short.

Sonic slapped a hand over his mouth and looked away, doing his best to stifle the laughter that was trying to burst out. Tails' eyes had widened considerably, and he looked like a deer caught in the headlights as he frantically switched from looking at poor, innocent looking Knuckles to Sonic, who looked like he was trying not to fall over.

For his part, Knuckles was completely oblivious to his friends' reactions, and clearly the reasoning behind them. After all, he was _proud_. Years of dealing with mad scientists and hedgehogs and bat girls had finally taught him his lesson. He had the _right_ to brag about this!

"C-Can I tell him, Tails? I'll get you whatever you want for your birthday, just please let me be the one to tell him." Doing his best to hold back, Sonic coughed into his hand and straightened himself. Truthfully, he wasn't looking forward to what was sure to follow after the news was broken, but that initial reaction was going to be _amazing_. "Please, buddy?"

Tails sighed.

"Do you want to be the one he takes it out on? Go on ahead if you do."

With that sobering comment, Sonic simply bowed halfway and made a grand gesture with his hands, as if making way for Tails to pass.

Still standing in the remains of smashed robots, Knuckles watched this whole scene play out without any idea what the two were on about. It was starting to get a little annoying, truth be told...

"One of you two want to fill me in on what the big joke is?" His tone made it clear he, at least, was not joking. For some reason, that got Sonic smirking and sniggering again, but Knuckles paid that no mind.

Looking one last time for support towards Sonic — and not exactly getting much — Tails scratched the back of his neck awkwardly and turned towards his thick-headed friend, internally setting a countdown in his head.

"Knuckles, you know I would have been glad to give you the best security system you could ever ask for if you'd just... asked, right? Why did you go to G.U.N. instead?" The fox started slow, hoping if he eased into it, maybe the echidna would figure out his folly on his own.

It was not meant to be.

"I didn't want to put it on you. You've got enough to do with all your planes and whatnot, don't you? Especially with Sonic over there crashing them every other month." Knuckles managed a smirk at the offended look the hedgehog, who had been trying to stifle his laughter to that point, managed. Good. He liked having control again. "I didn't want to put more on your plate because I've failed my duties enough for this to be necessary — that's not your responsibility. Besides, one of their agents offered me a really good setup. It was a win-win for everybody."

Taken aback by the blunt admission, Tails would have been rather touched by this if not for the fact that he knew he was about to spoil it.

"Knuckles, I'll just make this easy for ya." To Tails' surprise, after taking a deep breath, it was Sonic who stepped up to the plate for him. Giving his two tailed friend a wink, the hedgehog held out a hand to the side, as if he was going to start a lengthy explanation... which he most certainly was not. "Who do you know that works at G.U.N.? Think really hard if you have to. Think about the _one_ G.U.N. agent you know that makes this all a _reeeaaally_ bad idea. Maybe even worse than if you'd leased the island out to Eggman to make a theme park."

Tails swallowed.

This was it.

He watched, on the edge of his metaphorical seat, as he waited for a reaction.

At first, Knuckles seemed nonplussed. If anything, he looked like he was about to make a remark along the lines of "_no one_ is that stupid," or something to the effect.

Then the light bulb went off.

His eyes widened. His smirk fell clean off his face. His hands dropped to his sides and his fists opened.

The light bulb flickered.

Denial.

The smirk was forced back into place. He looked away, unable to meet Sonic's gaze. He began tapping his foot, as if he wanted to leave but was refusing to do so out of pride.

He knew.

_He knew_.

Tail turned away, wincing.

Here it comes...

3...

"Y-You're talking about Shadow, right? I know we've had our differences, b-but I can trust him with that..."

"Nope. Give it another go, pal."

2...

"Then Omega. It's Omega you're thinking of. It's Omega, right?"

"Think... crazier. Nuttier. Heh, _battier_, even!"

1...

"_THAT THIEVING BAT GIRL SET ME UP!_"

0.

Sonic would later be found on a sidewalk in Station Square, just outside the supermarket, holding a package of frozen hot dogs close to a blackening eye. Upon being questioned about the peculiar injury, he would offer a grin and simply answer that it was totally worth it.


End file.
